In the following example, Banshee is a two-ship flight vectoring toward a known enemy contact as directed by AWACS. Lead's callsign is "Bootleg" and "Chainsaw" is the callsign of Banshee Two.

• Lead Banshee Flight, Lead is shooter.
• Two Two.
• Lead finds the bandit on radar and provides heading and distance to target.
• Lead Banshee, bogey or bandit Contact zero two eight, fifty.
• Two Two.
• Lead acquires a lock on the incoming bandit.
• Lead Bootleg has lock.
• Two can now search for other bandits.
• Two Two, Roger, Scanning.

After seeing no additional contacts, Two checks again with AWACS.

Two Chainsaw, no additional contacts. AWACS confirms single bandit.

Lead gives position of bandit again so Two can confirm who Lead is actually locked onto.

• Lead Two, Lead, Bandit now zero three one, thirty.
• Two Lead, Two, Copy.
• Lead Lead, Fox One.
• Lead Bootleg, Splash!
• Two Lead, Two, Splash confirmed. Good kill.

Some of the communications above (and in the example below) could be shortened due to the fact that any pilot to pilot communication in a two-ship flight is the same as pilot to flight communication.

SORTING

Sorting should always be done by the flight leader. Targets should be referred to by bandit numbers from nearest to farthest and left to right. The illustrations below indicate how bandit numbers should be assigned on A/A radar.

Click to continue . . .

The red numbers on the A/A screens above denote the appropriate bandit number. Note as shown in c) that it is easier to call out the left bandit as 2 and the other as 3 even though the bandit on the right may be slightly closer. This is a judgment each pilot must make. This is very tricky, especially in a situation where aspects are changing rapidly.

• Lead Bootleg has lock.
• Two Two, Roger, Scanning.
• Two Chainsaw has a trailer!
• Lead Two, Lead, Target Bandit Two.
• Two Lead, Two, Copy, Lock acquired.
• Lead Chainsaw, Lead, Bracket High and Engage.
• Two Lead, Two, Engaging.

It is important to keep in mind that while the flight leader should dictate the sorting order and give clearance for engagement, the lead may not see or hear everything. Loss of SA and/or communication occurs often during combat. Whenever a situation arises where the flight is cleared hot, no directive has been given and bandits are within firing range, pilots should take initiative. But be careful, don't shoot down a friendly! Remember the three Cs of communication, calm, clear, concise.

Acknowledgments

Sources for this document were: "Operational Brevity Words and Terminology" author unknown and "Wings of Fury" by Robert Wilcox. With some additional assistence by Tom Culora and Peter "FighterJock" Waddell.

Authors Note.

The next part in this series covers the new Dedicated Internet Multiplayer Game Application (in beta) called Battlefield Communicator.